"We have miners throughout the district and throughout the United States that will benefit from this study," said Sub-District Director for USW District 11, John Rebrovich.

The Alpha Foundation was formed after a 2010 explosion at West Virginia's Upper Big Branch underground coal mine killed 29 people.Out of that disaster, a trust fund was established to improve mine safety, making sure similar tragedies won't happen again.

The two-year study will look into possible hazards at the mines, surveying miners and management while finding and fixing potential problems.

"Finding and fixing problems before they turn into a disaster," said Rebrovich, "These are the types of things we want [the study] to get to the root of."

Of the grant's 16 recipients, the United Steelworkers is the only union to receive funding.